LIFE14 GIE/UK/000043 AN INTRODUCTION TO, AND GENERAL INFORMATION ON, THE ILLEGAL KILLING, TAKING AND TRADING OF MIGRATORY WILD BIRDS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION PART 2 PRODUCED BY THE LIFE-ENPE WILDLIFE CRIME WORKING GROUP (WG1) BEING PART OF A TRAINING PACKAGE DEVELOPED FROM THE SEGOVIA WORKSHOP FOR PROSECUTORS FROM MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES IN MAY 2018. THE WORKSHOP INVOLVED THE CLOSE COOPERATION AND SUPPORT OF THE CMS (BONN) CONVENTION The European Commission were recognized as Champion Plus for their generous support and commitment towards addressing Illegal Killing, Taking and Trade of Migratory Birds in the Mediterranean for the period 2018-2020. This activity has been funded with the contribution granted by the European Commission under the Migratory Species Champion Programme and through the Global Public Goods and Challenges (GPGC Programme) Cooperation Agreements with UNEP. THE FOLLOWING NOTICE ACCOMPANIED THE FULL 4-PART TRAINING PACKAGE SENT TO THE PROSECUTORS OF EACH COUNTRY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION. COPYRIGHT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ALSO APPLY TO THE “INTRODCUTION TO AND GENERAL INFORMATION ON IKB IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION” PUBLISHED ON THE ENPE AND CMS WEBSITE NOTE: THE COPYRIGHT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THIS TRAINING PACKAGE REMAINS WITH ENPE AND THE LIFE-ENPE PROJECT. IT IS DISTRIBUTED FOR THE USE OF PROSECUTORS AND IKB GOVERNMENT ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES ONLY. PERMISSION IS GIVEN TO THOSE AUTHORITIES TO TRANSLATE THE CONTENT OF SLIDES AND TO USE THE PACKAGE FOR THE TRAINING OF PROSECUTORS AND IKB REGULATORY STAFF ONLY. IMAGES TAKEN FROM A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS WERE PROVIDED TO ENPE ON THE BASIS THAT THEY ARE TO BE SHOWN TO A RESTRICTED AUDIENCE FOR TRAINING PURPOSES. PERMISSION MUST BE SOUGHT FOR REPRODUCTION FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Note to readers of the ENPE and CMS websites • THESE SLIDES ARE SLIDES THAT WERE USED TO PROVIDE PROSECUTORS WITH RELEVANT BACKGROUND FOR TRAINING ON IKB. THIS MATERIAL DOES NOT INVOLVE CASE STUDIES OR OTHER MATERIAL THAT WAS AGREED TO BE TREATED AS CONFIDENTIAL. • IN THE INTERESTS OF A WIDER UNDERSTANDING OF IKB AND OF THE WORK OF ENPE AND CMS IN THIS AREA, THE FOLLOWING PORTIONS OF TRAINING MATERIALS ARE MADE ACCESSIBLE ON THE WEBSITES OF ENPE AND CMS. COPYRIGHT OF THIS MATERIAL STAYS WITH ENPE AND PERMISSION MUST BE SOUGHT BY ENPE FOR ITS USE. IKB IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION THE RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS & EU DIRECTIVES IKB IN THE MED REGION – CONVENTIONS & DIRECTIVES [1] The EC DG Environment’s representative at the Segovia Workshop, Joseph van der Stegen, emphasised: • European history of bird protection since 1902, today the Birds Directive 1979/2009 is central, with national obligations to enact protection under Articles: 3&4 (habitats & sites) and 5 to 9 (species). Approximately 500 species are protected. • Populations of 32% of bird species are not secure, situation of a further 16% is unknown. Farmland birds have suffered serious decline • 2016: EC adopted “roadmap” towards eliminating IKB. • Species action plans for some “Threatened” birds. • Natura 2000 secures 27,732 habitats • Key messages: “Two pillars – (a) Species Protection & (b) Habitat protection & management”. “Cooperation is key, not conservation in isolation”, and “NO SUCCESS WITHOUT PROPER ENFORCEMENT” IKB IN THE MED REGION – CONVENTIONS & DIRECTIVES [2] THE BIRDS DIRECTIVE – PROTECTION IN OUTLINE C & D [3] - DIRECTIVE 2009/147/EC “THE BIRDS DIRECTIVE” – “Articles” Article 1 (THESE ARE EXTRACTS ONLY – SELECTED BY ENPE) This Directive relates to the conservation of all species of naturally occurring birds in the wild state in the European territory of the Member States….It shall apply to birds, their eggs, nests and habitats. Article 2 Member States shall take the requisite measures to maintain the population of the species referred to in Article 1. Article 4 1. The species mentioned in Annex I shall be the subject of special conservation measures…account shall be taken of (a) species in danger of extinction; (b) species vulnerable to specific changes in their habitat; (c) species considered rare because of small population or restricted local distribution: (d) other species requiring particular attention for reasons of the specific nature of their habitat. 2. Member States shall take similar measures for regularly occurring migratory species not listed in Annex I, bearing in mind their need for protection in the geographical sea and land area where this Directive applies, as regards their breeding, moulting and wintering areas and staging posts along their migration routes. (+ particular attention to wetlands) C & D [4] - DIRECTIVE 2009/147/EC “THE BIRDS DIRECTIVE” - “Articles” (THESE ARE EXTRACTS ONLY – SELECTED BY ENPE) Article 5: Without prejudice to Articles 7 and 9, Member States shall take the requisite measures to establish a general system of protection for all species of birds referred to in Article 1, prohibiting in particular: (a) deliberate killing or capture by any method; (b) deliberate destruction of, or damage to, their nests and eggs or removal of their nests; (c) taking their eggs in the wild and keeping these eggs even if empty; (d) deliberate disturbance…during…breeding and rearing….(e) keeping birds (Article 6 – in summary – prohibits sale, transporting & keeping for sale, live or dead birds or parts.) Article 7: 1. the species listed in Annex II may be hunted under national legislation...Member States shall ensure that the practice of hunting, including falconry if practised, as carried on in accordance with the national measures in force, complies with the principles of wise use and ecologically balanced control of the species of birds concerned and that this practice is compatible as regards the population of these species, in particular migratory species... In the case of migratory species, they shall see in particular that the species to which hunting regulations apply are not hunted during their period of reproduction or during their return to their rearing grounds. Article 8: 1. Member States shall prohibit the use of all means, arrangements or methods used for the large-scale or non-selective capture or killing of birds C & D [5] - DIRECTIVE 2009/147/EC “THE BIRDS DIRECTIVE” - “Articles” (THESE ARE EXTRACTS ONLY – SELECTED BY ENPE) Article 8: 1. Member States shall prohibit the use of all means, arrangements or methods used for the large-scale or non-selective capture or killing of birds Article 9 DEROGATIONS 1. …….where there is no other satisfactory solution, for the following reasons: (a) in the interests of public health and safety, - in the interests of air safety, - to prevent serious damage to crops, livestock, forests, fisheries and water, - for the protection of flora and fauna; (b) for the purposes of research and teaching, of re-population, of re-introduction and for the breeding necessary for these purposes; (c) to permit, under strictly supervised conditions and on a selective basis, the capture, keeping or other judicious use of certain birds in small numbers. 2. The derogations referred to in paragraph 1 must specify: (a) the species which are subject to the derogations; (b) the means, arrangements or methods authorised for capture or killing; (c) the conditions of risk and the circumstances of time and place under which such derogations may be granted; (d) the authority empowered to declare that the required conditions obtain and to decide what means, arrangements or methods may be used, within what limits and by whom; (e) the controls which will be carried out. IKB IN THE MED REGION - CONVENTIONS & DIRECTIVES [6] DIRECTIVE 2009/147/EC “THE BIRDS DIRECTIVE” - The “Annexes” The 500 wild bird species naturally occurring in the European Union are protected in various ways: Annex 1: 194 species and sub-species are particularly “threatened”. Member States must designate Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for their survival and all migratory bird species. Annex 2: 82 bird species can be hunted. However, the hunting periods are limited and hunting is forbidden when birds are at their most vulnerable: during their return migration to nesting areas, reproduction and the raising of their chicks. Annex 3: overall, activities that directly threaten birds, such as their deliberate killing, capture or trade, or the destruction of their nests, are banned. With certain restrictions, Member States can allow some of these activities for 26 species listed here. Annex 4: the directive provides for the sustainable management of hunting but Member States must outlaw all forms of non-selective and large scale killing of birds, especially the methods listed in this annex. IKB IN THE MED REGION - CONVENTIONS & DIRECTIVES [7] DIRECTIVE 2009/147/EC “THE BIRDS DIRECTIVE” - DEROGATIONS Some member countries have had problems in their use of Article 9 – Derogations, particularly for hunting and trapping. Joseph van der Stegen specifically addressed this Article and made these points: • Derogations are possible, IF NECESSARY, from Art 5 (strict protection), 6 (trade), 7 (hunting), or 8 (means); • In most member states the majority of derogation licences are issued for: the reason of preventing damage to crops, livestock, etc.; the protection of flora and fauna by deliberate killing of birds of destruction of eggs; research and education (e.g. ringing of birds). • Formal conditions must be respected (means, controls, etc.). • Some are given “to permit under strictly supervised conditions and on a selective basis, the capture, keeping or other judicious use of certain birds in small numbers”. • Reporting by Member States generally good, but important information frequently missing. IT IS THE OBLIGATION OF EACH EU COUNTRY TO ENACT LAWS THAT CARRY INTO LAW THE CONTENTS OF THE DIRECTIVE IKB IN THE MED REGION - CONVENTIONS & DIRECTIVES [8] CMS (BONN) CONVENTION CMS Secretariat, through Dr Borja Heredia (then Head of Avian Species Team UNEP/CMS Secretariat), in Segovia, made the following points: • The Convention (on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals) commenced in 1983. 126 parties (countries). • There are four “Flyways” (main routes taken by migratory birds) across the World.